Don't Forget
by SincerelyCassandra
Summary: With everything that's happened, you'd think they'd finally catch a break. This is the story of our favorite heroes, months after the events in Africa. They have fallen to their hands and knees, weak physically, and emotionally. They'll deal with heartache, anger, and depression. Soon enough they'll have to face their biggest enemy of all time... themselves.
1. Chapter 1

"_**How badly do you want to live ?"**_

"_**I don't"**_

Being the hero of the day, maybe even the hero of the decade, should be wonderful. A life of happiness, major accomplishments, and praise from others who look up to you. People admiring your strength, wits, and courage. People wanting to talk to you, be a part of your life, wanting to be you. Countless awards on the walls of your large glamorous house. Millions of articles written about you all over the world, your name and picture on front page. It's crazy, it's marvelous, it's… not exactly true for everyone... especially not Chris Redfield.

"There's nothing that I can do Chris… except prescribe the anti-depressants-"Chris Redfield put his palm up to stop his therapist, Dr. Dole, from speaking.

"No," He grunted, getting up from the long couch in the center of the room. Dr. Dole sighed, sitting across from him in a large chair "I'm not sad or crazy."

"It doesn't mean you're crazy! It's just a little help to get you up, and help you complete the day's task. Beats sitting around doing nothing, laying around like an upset sack of potatoes."

Chris chucked sarcastically, "I've done plenty the past 12 years. I just want to start a normal life. Go golfing, drive to Las Vegas, get pissed drunk, waste all my money at the Casino, and do it all over again… I want to sight see, travel for entertainment not for work. I want to-"

"Start a family?" Dr. Dole interrupted. The room was silent for a moment as Chris closed his eyes… remembering…

"Yes…" He breathed out, "I want to do all those things without worrying that an attack is going to happen… without pulling out my gun because a stranger brushed against me." He started walking towards his jacket hanging by the door. He turned to Dr. Dole, tears in his eyes, "I want to sleep…it's been years since I've had a good night sleep… there night terrors, they get worse and worse… and any little sound wakes me up…"

Dr. Dole ripped out a sheet of paper from his prescription pad, got up, and started walking towards Chris, "Please Mr. Redfield…' he begged extending his arm when he was close enough. "Take the prescription."

After a moment of hesitation, Chris snatched the sheet from Dr. Dole's hand, and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

-

"_**Claire Redfield? You're just a Raccoon City survivor. A nobody sidekick to the real heroes."**_

"_**And you're just a low-life drunk from the local bar, but I'm not saying anything."**_

It's one thing to spend your whole life making sure the ones you love are safe, and okay. It's when they're ungrateful, and rude. That's when you lose your cool, but you'll never let them know how mad you are, or how you truly feel. You don't want them to know how weak you can be. You're just as strong, witty, and courageous as them… or you've convinced yourself that you are. Maybe you're scared, worried, and sad… maybe that was exactly how Claire Redfield felt.

"You're not going to work? What!?" Claire Redfield cried out, headphones in her ears. She pressed on the phone they were connected to reading the time. Chris should have been home by now.

"Yep. With this stupid arm injury I'm going to be out for about a month." A man on the other end said. Claire looked around her brother's bare and empty kitchen. He hasn't been shopping in ages. His fridge full of Chinese take-out, an old box of pizza, and lots of beer. His cabinets contained expired boxes of pasta, oatmeal, and sauces. The kitchen was such a sickly white color with a small table and chair in the corner. She looked over to his front door where many sticky notes stood, and walked closer to read them.

"Have you ever taken a day off of work?" she asked, looking over the notes. _"Rent due… Meeting with Dr. Dole… July 1998… Claire comes Thursday 2 pm…"_

"Not one day." the man replied with a chuckle. Claire's face fell with sadness as she turned away from the notes, walking towards the table.

"This should be the best month of your life!" She exclaimed, a smile forming. "Do you think you could make it Saturday? To Chris'? We leave Monday to New York… he's kind of moving in with me."

"Oh…" the man began. "It's that bad?"

"It's not horrible, but Dr. Dole suggested that maybe living with me would make him more comfortable, and help him to relax. Maybe help him remember better too." She answered, opening up her laptop as she sat down.

"Well I hope it does help him." the man said "I can't come Saturday, but maybe I can come Monday to New York? I would like to spend some time with Abby and Angela this weekend. It's been a long while since I've been able to stay home with them."

Claire's face fell again, "Oh yeah. I'm sure Abby would be happy her daddy gets to stay home for a bit." She answered emotionlessly. Her laptop turned on reveling a picture of four young adults. Chris, Claire, Jill Valentine, and…

"Leon!" someone called in the background of the call.

"Ah, Claire I'll call you back tomorrow. Angela is home." Claire bit her bottom lip.

"Yeah, that's fine Leon. Go be with your family." She said.

"I will… on Monday." She could hear the smile on his face.

"Bye Leon."

"Bye Claire."

- 

"_**One of America's greatest heroes, and you couldn't even protect your best friend."**_

"_**I did the best I could… it was out of my control."**_

"_**Your best wasn't good enough ."**_

Being a hero makes you feel like you can save everyone. Fix any problem that comes your way. No one can stop you because you are the greatest of all time. You feel on top of the world, but sadly Leon Kennedy was knocked off the top years ago.

"Dad, what's the matter?" Three year old Abby Kennedy asked, her long strawberry blonde hair blowing all over the place. She stood in front of the fan in the living room staring at Leon. He pulled her close to him, placing her on his lap with his good arm.

"Everything is fine sweetie." He answered smiling. Her hazel eyes sparkled in the afternoon light.

"You were looking over there," she said, pointing towards the window straight ahead "but there's nothing over there."

Leon looked toward where she was pointing. He might have spaced out a bit. Tonight was his flight to New York, to see the Redfield's. He was very nervous of course. He hadn't seen Chris since Claire and him moved to Florida after the Antarctica incident, and Claire he hadn't seen since WilPharma 5 years ago where he also met Angela… wait that might have been partly a lie. He did see Claire after that…

"Mommy says you miss your friends, "Abby said, looking at her father's broken left arm. Leon rubbed the top of her head, combing her hair out her face.

"Yeah I do. I haven't seen them in a while." He answered still smiling. Their eyes locked.

"Will you miss us?" she asked. Leon tilted his head, taken back by his daughter's question, but before he could answer Angela Miller walked in.

"Abby dear, why don't you go show Daddy what you made him for his trip." She interrupted. Abby's face lit up as she hopped from her father's lap, running out the room.

Leon looked up at Angela, her face red, eyes puffy, and hair in a messy bun.

"I'm sorry" was all he muttered at the heartbreaking sight in front of him. He stood up, taking a step towards her. Angela stood a step back biting her lip.

"Leon if you get on that plane tonight…" she started. Leon sighed.

"Angela I have to do this. I have to see them, they need me." He begged. Angela let out a sour laugh as tears streamed down her face.

"And we don't need you? It's not fair, we barely get to see you as it is." Leon cut her off with a half. She stood in place, arms to her side, sobbing.

"One week and I'll be back to spend the rest of my time with you guys. I'll probably get some desk work even after my recovery, just to be safe. I won't have to leave the country for a long time."

Angela maneuvered her arms over Leon's and squeezed tightly, out of anger. Pain ran through Leon's broken arm as it was squished between him and Angela.

"If you get on that plane tonight you can never come back here." She whispered, rage in her hazel eyes. Leon's heart pounded, but was able to push her small figure away.

"Then box up all m things Angela." He answered bitterly. Angela's mouth fell opened, surprised at his response. She quickly turned and stormed out the room.

Leon sat down again, tears in his eyes. How did they get here… to this point?

"Daddy look!" Abby screamed, running into the room a minute later. "I made you this stuffed Bunny!" Leon quickly wiped his face, and looked over to his daughter who had had the bunny in her arms. It had the 'Build a Bear' tag and was dressed in a black t-shirt, with a brown leather jacket over it. Leon chuckled.

"I love it sweetie. He looks great." Leon grabbed it from her. Abby giggled.

"It's a girl daddy! You can name her." She said with a huge smile. Leon got down to Abby's height.

"Why don't I name her Abby?" he asked. Abby's eyes widen.

"That's a great name Daddy!"

Leon wrapped his arms tightly round her. Tears falling from his face.

"I love you baby girl." He whispered.

"I love you too." She whispered back. Leon couldn't stop the tears from falling.

-

"_**What is it with you Ms. Valentine? Chris says jump, and you'd ask 'how high?'"**_

"_**No I wouldn't… I'd ask if I can come down."**_

Rain taps against the glass of Jill Valentine's apartment windows. She could see the morning sun trying to peak through the grey skies. She stares out the window from her bed, listening to sound of the rain. It always helped calm her down, the sound of nature. It reminded her that like wasn't always about the evil. There was still good out there, beautiful, happy, funny good. She smiled lightly thinking about the good in people, the good in Chris Redfield. The bed stirred as she felt a rough, heavy hand on her side, but it was warm, loving, caressing her hip. She turned to face Chris who laid in bed with her.

His face was the face of an old warrior. A cut above his right eyebrow, a burn mark on his chin, creases on her forehead, and creases under his eye. His hair a lovely salt and pepper look. She put her hand on his face and traced a line from the side of his ocean blue eyes down to his lips, and he kissed it gently. She couldn't picture a morning more beautiful than the ones they share together. She loved him very much. With every ounce of her being.

"Why'd you jump?" He asked bluntly. Jill's face fell, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You pushed him out the window. You pushed him and I thought you died." Chris screamed siting up in the bed. His torso was bare, and his muscles twitched with anger. Jill sat up too, putting her arms on him.

"Chris please! Calm down! I tried to protect you! I tried to end it!" She said. Chris pushed her hands off of him. A little too hard though, and she fell back off the bed on her side. Her chocolate brown hair fell over her face.

"All you did was worry me. Made me want to kill myself." He said standing up and walking over to her. Jill sat up, and looked up at him. 6 foot, veins pulsing, and his eyes turned a dark grey.

"Chris please…" she begged "I'm sorry."

"You should have just killed me." He whispered getting down to his knees. He grabbed the back of her head, and pulled her close to his face. Jill began crying.

"You're hurting me." She cried out.

"You should have killed me."

**BANG**

Chris and Jill locked eyes. Jill continued sobbing, and watched as Chris fell back, a pool of blood forming beneath him. Jill scream, crawling backwards until she banged into the nightstand. She looked down to her hands where she held a gun, and was covered in blood.

"Jill…"

Jill looked up, her heart pounding so hard she couldn't breathe. Chris was still down, coughing up blood.

"Jill…"

She began screaming even more and more until everything went black… then, in what seemed like a second, everything was bright.

"Jill?" someone called out. It wasn't Chris' voice… "Take is easy, don't push yourself…

Jill looked around until the brightness faded out, reveling her location. A completely white room… a lab actually, and next to her was a man dressed in a white lab coat, gloves, and a mask. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. She went to move her body, but felt numb. Her face grew scared.

"Relax Ms. Valentine! I'm not here to hurt you! It's me! Roberts!" The man said, quickly removing his mask. "It's Frank Roberts!"

Jill stared at him still frighten. She was breathing hard now, as Frank quickly reached into his lab coat and took out an ID Card.

_ Frank Roberts… BSAA_

"I'm a friend of Chris Redfield's." He began. Jill's eyes lit up.

"Chri-ssssh?" she mumbled.

"Yes! Chris! He wanted me to take care of you after the incident." Frank said with a smile.

"In-se-dan?" Jill mumbled again.

Frank nodded.

"Yes, I'm sorry Jill, but no more questions. You just came out of a month long coma, and we need you to be calm before we can explain everything, okay?" He said, adjusting the blanket over Jill. She tried to look down, but couldn't even do that.

"Numb." She mumbled. Frank frowned.

"We really needed you to be calm… sorry." He answered. Jill's breathing became heavy again, as tears streamed down her face.

"See… Chrissssh'?" She asked. Frank was almost out the door, but turned to smile at Jill again.

"Soon Jill, Soon."


	2. Chapter 2

"_**What are they going to do to her Frank?"**_

"_**Chris, you know I can't say…"**_

"_**Goddammit… When will I get to see her!?"**_

"_**I promise you… as soon as she wakes up you'll be the first person I call."**_

"When do we call Chris?" Frank Roberts asked, looking over at his boss, and BSAA representative Clive O'Brian. The two sat in his office. Cluttered with paper, with a small picture of a happy little family on the corner, Clive's desk separated the two gentlemen. Clive looked at Frank with a blank expression.

"We need to keep her in a little longer." He said. He then opened up the side of his desk and pulled out a thick portfolio, slamming it on the desk. Frank jumped.

"Sir… I'm sorry…" he said. Clive put his hand up as he opened the profile, his face turning red.

"I'm not mad at you. I understand you want to help your friend, but it's not good for him to see her this way," He said picking up the first paper "How the hell did this happen!?" he asked reading the paper.

"It could be many things Mr. O'Brian. It could have been the medication we used, the coma she was in, that was a couple of months… could have been from before all that…" he started. Clive looked up at him from the paper.

"Africa you mean?" he asked. Frank nodded.

"We did some research on the small amount of the virus we found in Jill, "Frank began, lifting up a folder from his lap. He reached in and handed Clive another paper, this one blue. "There was an odd fungus in it, creating plaque on the brain…"

"Roberts…" Clive dropped both papers on his desk, "Alzheimer's?"

"Yes and no." Frank answered, handing Clive another paper. "It's causing more of an amnesia effect with her memories, and her motor skills are way off. We've tried just about everything to get her to remember. She remembers her name, she knows vocabulary, just forgot how to speak, and…" Frank chuckled, "She remembers Chris. That's all she keeps saying to me. Chris, Chris, Chris."

Clive looked at the papers on his desk, then rubbed his temples.

"I don't want to do this to him. I know how much he cares for her... This will kill him." He said. After a couple of seconds, he sighed and gave Frank back his papers. "Call Chris, let him know EVERYTHING that's happened. Everything we've done, and tried. If he wants to see her still, I would like to be there for the reunion. Okay?"

Frank nodded standing up with a smile.

"Yes of course. Thank you Mr. O'Brian, his hand already in pocket, reaching or his cellphone.

"**If you wanted the baby, why didn't you keep it?"  
"Between work, and the hostility I am constantly surrounded by, I just couldn't bring a precious child into a life like that."**

"**I understand, but there were other options, like adoption."**

"…**I don't think he would've wanted the baby either…"**

Chris and Claire stared at each other from either side of the reddish wood table in Claire's Asian themed kitchen. Both exhausted from their 5 hour red eye flight.

"So, what happens now?" Chris asked, breaking the silence that took over after they sat down, a cup of tea in their hands.

Claire pushed towards him packets of sugar and a carton of milk. "We're just going to be roommates for a while. It's better if I'm around to watch you. I'd like to know where you're going, where you are, and if anything happens-" Chris' face fell, looking annoyed. "It's for your safety Chris" Claire explained.

Chris chuckled sarcastically. "Almost 40-years-old and I need a babysitter." He mixed in his sugar and milk. "Not embarrassing at all… Hey, are you babysitting Leon too? Are we having a playdate?"

Claire sighed, standing up. "Go ahead, be a dick. I'm just trying to help you." She pushed in her chair roughly. "When you're lost somewhere, don't call me. You can obviously take care of yourself right?" she snapped back.

This was of course sarcasm. Back at Chris' in Florida, after Claire's phone call with Leon, Claire had to go out and find him. It had been hours since he went out for a simple visit with Dr. Dole. She found him quickly thankfully, he was lost in his own neighborhood, and couldn't remember where his apartment building was.

After slamming her chair, she started to walk out the room, past Chris, but he let out his arm pulling her towards him, and into a hug. She looked down at him hugging her stomach from the chair. He was shaking.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, and looked up at her, tears in his eyes "I'm just… scared Claire. You know how much I need you right now." Claire's mouth went dried, as a tears swelled up in her eyes.

"It's okay. It's okay to be scared. This is a very scary thing, for everyone. The BSAA is worried, I'm worried…" Claire ran a hand through Chris' hair "When she wakes up, she's going to be insanely worried about you…" she whispered with a smile "You know how she gets." Chris buried his face into Claire, sobbing. Claire didn't know what to do, she still wasn't use to her brother crying, especially hard crying.

It had been hard for Chris the last couple of months. After returning from Africa with his partner, and best friend Jill Valentine, he was diagnosed with a mild case of amnesia. This was very surprising to everyone since it was out of the blue that Chris had an attack in his office. Attacking all his co-workers because he didn't know where, or who anyone was.

Just when it looked like Chris would be 100% okay, Jill collapsed during her "Welcome Home" party, and was quickly rushed to BSAA's care unit. She fell into a coma, and ever since then Chris' condition got worse. Claire tried her best to solve the distance issue. She hired nurses to check on Chris every day, and she would come down every other weekend, but it wasn't enough. Chris was a little over 6 feet tall and 220 pounds of pure muscle. All the nurses would run out the apartment calling their boss 'I can't do this anymore!' due to the fact that when Chris was confused, he was angry, and when he was angry he got loud. He'd smash anything in sight, and once even threatened one of the nurses with his gun.

After about 20 nurses complaining, the hospital stopped sending them, resulting in Chris spending weeks alone. As soon as Claire couldn't get a hold of Chris through phone, she would have to call Dr. Dole to go out and look for him. "Claire, why don't you come down here for a while?" he'd always ask. Claire would always start crying, and soon enough Dr. Dole stopped asking. She would love to come down and help her big brother out, but her job needed her also. The only option that was left was Chris moving to New York City with her.

Hours after the incident in the kitchen, Claire curled up into the bright blue arm chair in the corner of the guest room. She had given each room in her house a theme, even the bathroom, since everything just looked so plain and boring. She wanted some excitement and creativity to bring up her mood when she came home from her job.

The guest room's theme was the ocean. Her favorite piece was the ship in the bottle her brother made about 2 months before his trip to Africa. She remembered how peaceful he looked trying to get the pieces together, and how bright his face got when he was finished. He jumped from the kitchen table in Florida, clapped his hands together, and screamed "Look… at… this!" At that time everyone assumed Jill was dead, and it was great to see such a smile on his face.

She looked over at Chris, who was sound asleep in bed. His body twitched and his face curled up in disgust. He'll be up soon again, from a night terror. He'll Jump from the bed, face red, eyes bugged out looking for the danger. He'll reach under his pillow for his gun, but find nothing. He'll look around franticly for another weapon only to find nothing of use, but he'll see his small, scared, and tired sister, curled up in the bright blue arm chair in the corner of the guest room, sobbing.

"**You tried so hard to make it work with the both of them, and you always failed. Angela was always jealous."**

"**She never understood why I was so close to Claire. We both survived Raccoon City, we took care of little girl together, we're best friends, we're-"**

"**In love?"**

"**Love? No. Claire doesn't love anyone who isn't her brother."**

"**You don't think she loved Steve Burnside?"**

"**That wasn't **_**love. **_**It was pity. Guilt."**

"**You sound upset."**

"**Because I did so much for her. I wanted her to love me. I wanted to be with her. Start a family with her, but she never wanted that. She just wanted to be friends, even after what happened during New Year's… after WilPharma!"**

Leon looked out the window of his cab. He was never a fan of New York. Riding around in Brooklyn in a small car that smelt like cat pee and air freshener was very different from his rides in Washington. A long stretch limo with wine, and snacks along the sides. He understood though why Claire loved it here. She was always amazed by urban neighborhoods. The people, the houses, the history, the graffiti. It was about an hour and a half drive to her job at Terrasave in Jersey, and she was 5 train stops away from the city.

He'd only been to New York a hand full of times. Mostly because of work and he was usually upstate, but one time he did come to see Claire, after their bitter sweet reunion at Hardvardville. Leon's face fell blocking the memory from his head. He knew a lot about New York through phone calls with Claire. She always sounded so happy and enthusiastic to share with him where he could find some amazing graffiti, or a little piece of history. She always sent him picture messages of the sculptures she'd see on her way to do errands, or pictures of the oddest people she encountered as she rode the subway. He had to admit, she was very cute.

Angela though wasn't a fan. She'd sigh whenever Leon's phone chimed, knowing it was from work, but Claire had a different text tone that made Angela's face fall and look almost green with disgust whenever she heard it. She first met Claire after the WilPharama incident when Angela had been interviewed at Terrasave about the events, and ever since then has hated Claire. Leon couldn't understand why. He listened to the interview tape, and Claire was kind, patient, and understanding, knowing well enough that Curtis Miller was Angela's brother.

When asked, Angela always claims that she just got a bad vibe from Claire, but how could she? Claire was smart, beautiful, kind, and just perfect. Who wouldn't love Claire? Leon turned in his seat looking at the Bunny his daughter made him, laid out on top of his suitcase. Abby would love her...

"What's the number on the building?" the cab driver asked with a very heavy Spanish accent.

"324." Leon answered taking out his wallet.

The driver turned a corner, and stopped directly in front of the apartment building. Leon reached into his wallet handing the driver a $20 bill. "Keep the change" he muttered, grabbing his things, and getting out.

He placed his things on the sidewalk, and looked up at the 10 story- red brick building. Not a lot changed. The front garden seemed to be a little dead, but that was probably because it was the start of autumn. Leon sighed. His nerves kicked in full force. He was here for emotion support. To see his very close friends, and help out anyway he can, but he'd be lying if he said that was all he wanted to accomplish. All of a sudden, the front doors of the building flung opened and out came Claire Redfield, eyes red, tears falling from her eyes. Through the tears she was still beautiful. Her arms were crossed hugging herself to keep warm. She had on just a red tank top and long black sweatpants, her hair fell down in waves past her shoulders.

Leon opened his dry mouth, "Claire?" Her face lit up, and a smile formed on her face.

"Great timing Kennedy. The BSAA just called me and…" She wiped away from tears from her face. "Jill is awake." She said. Leon dropped everything, and quickly took off his jacket, also smiling.

"Holy shit that's great!" He said walking over, handing Claire the jacket, and hugging her tightly. Claire hugged back just as tight.

"It's also great timing because," She mumbled into his shoulder. "I can't find Chris."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Hi everyone! Happy to see some positive responses to my story so far :] I am in the middle of chapter 3 at the moment, and hope to put it up sometime within the next 3 days! Thank you guys!**


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